Target



Nov. 8, 1938" w. E. YocuM 2,135,549

TARGET Filed April 9, 1937 I Invantur Wi1b ur E -Yu cum EMMKWZ Attorney Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

5 This invention relates to a towed target.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a light and inexpensive target which will have good visibility, which will be capable of being towed at high speeds by either air or surface craft, and

which will be maintained at a more or less constant altitude even when positioned at a considerable distance from the towing craft.

Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of the improved target.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation showing another method of connecting the. balloons to the towing cable.

The target comprises a towing cable 5 which is attached to a moving craft, either air or surface. One or more balloons 6 are arranged on the cable in such a manner that the pull incident to towing of the target is not taken by the fabric of the balloon. As shown in Fig. 1 the cable passes through the balloons which are held against longitudinal displacement in any convenient manner.

One or more lines I of any desired length are 30 attached to the towing cable and the free end of each line carries a drag element 8, which serves generally to maintain its line in a. substantially vertical position. When the drag element is to act as a float for riding on water it is constructed to offer a minimum resistance so that it will not 5 unduly drag the line and cause a decrease in the height of the cable 5 and balloons B.

Each line 1 carries one or more flags or pennants 9 which will stand out horizontally during towing of the cable and constitute the principal 10 visible portion of the target.

In Fig. 2 the balloons ID are attached to the towing cable II by smaller cables I2-l2.

I claim:

1. In a target adapted to be towed, a towing 15 cable, a plurality of balloons on the cable for suspending it in air, a plurality of lines attached to the cable in the vicinity of the balloons, a drag element on the free end of each line, and pennants carried by each line.

2. In a target adapted to be towed, a towing cable, means on the cable for suspending it in air, a line on the cable, a pennant on the line, and a drag element on the free end of the line.

3. In a target adapted to be towed, a towing cable, means on the cable for suspending it in air, a line on the cable, a pennant on the line, and a float on the free end of the line and offering small resistance to its passage on water.

W'ILBUR E. YOCUM. 

